It had been exactly three days since Kat and Jonas had broken up. No one had come into the shop for those few days, and it was probably for the best. The stitching for the robes was wet with tears, making it harder for the red-head to sow.

She tried her best to not be so upset. It just wasn't worth it. She didn't hate Jonas at all- she wasn't angry with him, she didn't blame him at all. She had been a horrible girlfriend who didn't fulfill her boyfriend.

She didn't cry so much anymore. She had woken up and thrown up the first two days afterwards, so she'd just ended up just not eating. She didn't have enough money for food either, so it was probably for the best. She kept food down now, but the lack of money meant her stomach remained empty.

Jonas had offered to keep her in their old apartment, but she told him not to do that and moved out the same night. She abandoned all of her art supplies and burned the ones that she'd had on her. She had no desire to do art anymore. She had slept in the tiny break-room for days until someone actually found out, and now she got paid a lot less to compensate for it. She showered herself using magic, and didn't think on the future. This was all she wanted now. She didn't want to meet any new friends and had decided she wouldn't get into a relationship with anyone else. Jonas had been the love of her life, and until she didn't believe that she wouldn't be with anyone else. So she would probably remain single forever, not that she minded. Her life had drifted into an obscurity. All of the people she had known in school remembered her less and less, and Jonas or her other friends hadn't come around to see her. She was just a passing memory now, and it was best she remained that way.

She hoped Jonas had found everything he'd wanted. She hoped he felt fulfilled now, and had restored relationships with his old band so that they could become famous. She didn't have a radio, but she thought that if she did, Jonas would be on it. He deserved it. He deserved better than her. She had just been a deadweight for him, and now he had the ability to achieve his dreams.

And it was that thought that helped get her through. There was that old saying- if you loved someone, let them go. Jonas' happiness was worth so much to her. He was her best friend and seeing him succeed was the most wonderful thing she could imagine. She knew that he wouldn't feel so tied down anymore and could go tour and do all the things he couldn't do because of her.

Their relationship had been the best thing that had ever happened to her, and now that it was over she felt like she would never see Greg or Jonas again. Or Isobel. Jonas probably had horror stories of how obnoxious she had been and they wouldn't want to see her anymore, because she wasn't family. She was just someone Jonas knew. That was all she had been to people, and she didn't much care for who she was without him. She just did her job and slept and felt hungry all the time. She listed all the reasons her reaction was so pathetic daily, and it decreased her self-esteem whenever she started to feel better.

They hadn't gone out for more than a few months; she was his second-choice after Parker, and always would be nothing compared to how well he treated Jonas; he hadn't said they wouldn't be friends, she just assumed it; she hadn't fulfilled him; she could never compare to Parker; Jonas hadn't been cruel in how he'd broken up with her, so she shouldn't take it so hard. He had been as kind as always.

All of these were just wild assumptions, but she was a teenage girl, and she had just been broken up with. Of course she would think them. But her knowing they were blown out of proportion just made her like herself less.

Oh, how she hoped no one would come in. She could force a smile, but she really didn't want to have people ask if she was okay if they saw her tears.

Greg had been planning to visit Kat since Jonas moved into Pranktopia. Kat was sort of like the little sister he never had and he felt bad for her. He had no clue what Jonas had said, since he refused to explain, but he knew it was hard for both of them. As far as he knew, Kat had never had a boyfriend before, so he thought maybe he could offer some advice. Or at least maybe get some clarity about the very confusing situation. So after he got done showering after practice, he put on his street clothes and sunglasses (so people wouldn't recognize him as much) and made his way to Amethyst Alley.

He made the long walk down the mostly empty alley and was surprised that so many shops were undergoing repairs and were closed. Though he supposed it was because of the winds they had received. Greg found it eerie. This whole alley was as lifeless as, well, his little brother. He thought maybe it was symbolism of sorts.

He pulled the door to the robe shop open and stepped inside. He tried to remember the last time he'd been in here, but he was distracted by a very distraught and crying girl, not too far away from him. "Kat," he said softly. He walked over to her. "Give me a hug. I haven't seen you in what feels like ages. I'm so sorry."

Kat hadn't noticed the bell when Greg came in, so she jumped at the sound of even his soft and gentle tone, and seemed even more surprised when he was actually in front of her and not just her imagination. She'd thought a lot about him these past few days as she thought about the changes to her life. "Greg?" she said softly. "Wh- what are you doing here?" When he asked for a hug she didn't deny him, hugging him and wiping her eyes. She ran a hand through her tangled curls.

"You don't have to be sorry for me. It's all my fault. M-my art... it wasn't good enough. I-I couldn't be as famous as him, and he deserved someone way better than me. Someone who he actually loves. Someone who's life is going the same direction as his and not forcing him to stay here. He wants to go on tour and I'd be worthless to him, making him worry about him. I must have made him angry too. I know h-he and Parker... but we didn't. It must have pissed him off."

She figured she was probably boring him. He probably was her for another reason. Maybe he wanted his old robe restored and treated so it could be put into storage. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

He hugged her back tightly for a moment, then released her. "I came to see you, obviously."

Greg listened in confusion. Nothing she was saying made sense to him at all. "Wait. Jonas said all that?" he asked. "And what are you talking about? What's going on with Parker? You're not making any sense, Kat. Take a deep breath. Let's talk," he replied.

"You came to see me?" Kat asked. This made her feel a little bit more hopeful. She had felt like no one would remember her now that she wasn't with Jonas.

"N-No! No... he didn't say all of that. But I don't know how to tak what he said- a-and he didn't stick around long enough to explain. I had to lead him out because it was dark."

"He said..." she sniffled, clearly not wanting to remeber. "He said that because our lives are going in different directions and he didn't treat me like he should and that wouldn't change, w-we couldn't be together." Her throat felt dry. "I don't know what to think. He hasn't come around to see me," Kat's eyes watered, and she shrugged.

"I wasn't making him happy. I was just dragging him down. Before, h-he was talking about how he missed his band, and how he'd heard Parker's band. They've become kind of famous, I think. He said he wanted to support him and that he was sad they couldn't be in a band together. And I-I told him I really hoped they could become feiends again, you know? That I didn't what him to think I was trying to restrain him in any way. But it didn't help."

"It was all my fault, Greg," the young woman sniffled. "I couldn't be as kind aa Parker had been to Jonas. I could never relate to him like Parker could... how Parker can. I-I can't believe I was so stupid! Now I don't even know if we're friends and I can't eat I can't sleep and I feel like no one cares for me because I've always been with Jonas, and they only like him! And I loved Jonas... and I know what'll happen now. I know he and Parker will get together again and I was just a second-choice while he was gone. But I really had feelings for him and I thought something would come of it. That we would stay together."

"I know I'm over-reacting, but I've never done this before. I don't... I don't know what to do."

"Of course I did, Kat," Greg replied. He could tell he had waited much too long to visit, but he had a little brother to console, too. He thought family came first, but looking at the eighteen-year-old in front of him, he wasn't quite sure about that. Kat seemed worse off.

Gregory just listened for a moment. As far as he knew, Jonas wasn't getting back together with Parker. They had been talking, but not talking. And they hadn't recently. It had been months. "He's not seeing Parker, Kat. He's not seeing anyone. He barely leaves my apartment or his. He hasn't even gone to class," he pointed out.

Greg honestly didn't like Parker. It wasn't anything he said. It was just the way he carried himself. It was like Parker was never nervous, which made Greg apprehensive. Everybody had to be vulnerable about something, but it was like Parker had no fear. It made Greg wonder what Parker's weakness was and he had a theory that it was Jonas, and that was why they liked each other.

So if Greg's theory was true, it would mean that his little brother and Parker would eventually get back together. Maybe Kat had been Jonas' second choice, but it was more likely that he was trying something to see if all roads actually led to Rome. And Jonas probably discovered that they did. If two people really loved each other and were meant to be together, the universe would bring them together again.

The quidditch player wished he knew what to say to her. But everything sounded so wrong. But he had to try. "No, you couldn't relate the way Parker could, but you related like you could," he replied. "Obviously, I can't speak for my brother and explain all his motives. But if you didn't make him happy, he wouldn't have stayed with you for almost a year. Why would you think that he didn't love you? Has Jonas ever been known to be dishonest?"

Kat wouldn't have had Greg come any sooner, if only because it was quite apparent that she viewed Jonas as more important than herself. If Greg had said he hadn't tried to help Jonas first, she would have been distraught. Just because she didn't have anyone who would come sooner doesn't mean Jonas shouldn't.

Greg's reassurance hadn't left Kat any less shocked. She looked to the floor beneath her, her deep brown eyes still filled with tears. She didn't know why Greg was here to see her. What was the point of seeing her? She appreciated his comfort but it made things no better. She wouldn't feel better for a long time. Still, she forced what had become a curtain of red curls to look up. "Thank you," she replied.

"He... hasn't gone to class? Why?" All of her hope for Jonas shattered, and she didn't seem to retain the ability to breathe or stand. She collapsed on the nearest chair, and put her head in her hands. "He has to go! That's the best way he has a chance of making it! God.. it's all my fault."

She started to cry again, and it was made even worse when Greg talked about Jonas and Parker. She liked Parker. She thought he was nice enough. She had never gotten to know him personally but from accounts from Jonas he seemed perfectly swell.

"I-I didn't mean it that way- that he would be with him right now. But the end result will be the same. They're going to get back together no matter what. He loved him so much more than he loved me, and he wants to go back to him."

"I was horrible at relating to him!" she practically screeched. It wasn't anger at Greg that motivated her, but anger at herself. She should have seen this coming! "I am terrible at playing and feeling music, and that's what he loves the most. And he and Parker could relate that way and be in a band together." She dug her nails into her face, not trying to draw blood but just frustrated at how ignorant she had been. "I couldn't have made him that happy..." she whimpered. "He never had the spark with me that he did with Parker. I don't know why I ever tried when I knew what would happen. Jonas has never been dishonest with me... but maybe he just had such strong feelings as friends with me that it was easy to mistake them once Parker left."

"Any time," he replied. "Slow down. He's just not going. It's not because of you. You didn't tell him not to go to class. Don't blame yourself for his decision. Apparently it's all review right now, anyway. Like, the last week before the OWLs. Do you remember how boring that week was?" he asked.

Greg shrugged. "So what if they do? If that's the way it's supposed to be, it'll happen. Wouldn't you rather it be now than after you've been dating five years or something?" he asked. Maybe it was a little forward, but it was honest. Greg wasn't going to coddle Kat. She could get past his brother. It would take some time, but it didn't have to be instantaneous. He wished he could say that he knew if Jonas loved Parker more, and while he doubted it, he didn't know for sure.

He flinched at Kat's screaming, but only because he wasn't expecting it. "Deep breaths, Kat. No one is angry with you right now," Greg said calmly. "I know from experience that two people with nothing in common can be close. Have you seen Aidan and Isobel interact? Isobel is like this scary, ambitious, athletic witch. And Aidan is like, a really chill surfer dude who just goes with the flow of it all. They have nothing in common, basically, but they still love each other.

"It's not about what you have in common. And just because Jonas broke up with you doesn't mean you no longer have anything to offer the world. It doesn't mean that you were a bad girlfriend. It doesn't mean that he hates you. it doesn't mean that you made him unhappy. Do you think Kayla broke up with me because I made her unhappy? Do you think I was a bad boyfriend to her, so she dumped me?" Greg asked. It was a bit of a rhetorical question, but it was also necessary to prove his point.

Kat was trying hard to understand Greg's point of view, and with each logical, calm response he gave she slowly began to feel better. "I know I didn't tell him not to go... y-you're right," she sniffled, then smiled softly, laughing breathily. "Y-Yeah..." she said shakily. "I-I remember. I hardly ever went, either." She still thought that if he hadn't broken up with her because of her making unhappy he would still be in class, but she didn't raise this reply, because he would just repeat what he said, and she had to comes to terms with it.

"I-It's not that I care that they get back together. Both Jonas and Parker are allowed to be with whoever they want and I'm not trying to say that I ban them just because they were together before." Her eyes widened his harsh statement, and her eyes watered, but she didn't break down again. "You're right-" she said softly. "I wouldn't like that,"she said, staring at the floor. "Because I care abut Jonas, a-and I would rather him be happy than have him stay with me." This was a true but hard statement for her to understand, and while she believed it her emotional strength hadn't been built up to take quite a hit yet. She hadn't had any real sad experiences in her life; not that she hadn't been sad, but nothing truly this heartbreaking had happened in a long time.

Kat started taking deep breaths as requested, needing it after the last hard conversation. His mention including people she knew other than Jonas, even if not as closely, made her feel better. Greg probably wasn't sure what an impact he was having on Kat right now. She was truly grateful, and she knew she would express it once she thought of the right words. She chuckled at his description of the two, finding them on-point. "Yeah, that's true. They don't appear to have a ton of common interests based on the main things they enjoy, but I'm sure they do in other ways. And their personalities compliment each other."

"No way!" The seamstress piped up. She understood what a rhetorical question was anyway, but if she personally thought they deserved a response anyway, she would give it. "You couldn't possibly be a bad boyfriend- you're the nicest person ever! And I don't think that you made her unhappy, but if you did she couldn't possibly think that because of something you did to her." She didn't know the reason for the breakup, but she figured her response remained true. No matter what Greg had done, he hadn't done anything intentionally.

Greg's point was being made for him, and he could see the gear's turning in Katherine's head. His assurance that she didn't make him unhappy of her own volition and that he didn't hate her made her feel a lot better. Still, she couldn't help but ask "You don't think so?" She really didn't think she had much to offer the world, but that wasn't necessarily because of Jonas breaking up with her. It was because of implications that she drew from it that Jonas himself had refuted multiple times. She felt stupid for giving up on everything, but she felt like her mind had done it for a reason, because she didn't believe i herself. Not because of anything Jonas had done.

Greg listened and watched as the wheels started turning in Kat's head. He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the nicest person remark. He wasn't the nicest person in the world. He personally saw himself as a selfish person. "Then why would you think you did something to Jonas?" Greg asked. "Kayla broke up with me because she was moving to New Zealand. And she's happy, as far as I know. And maybe one day, we'll meet again. Maybe not. But either way, I don't regret being with her. I have a lot of skills that I would have had whether I met her or not. So I'm a quidditch player. I'm up for captain in a year or two. Jonas breaking up with you does not mean you're a failure or that you should stop doing art."

Kat didn't specifically say that she stopped doing art, but Greg had a feeling. "My father has a saying that he heard in college or something. It goes something like, 'Art is to console those who are broken by life.' You could take this and turn it into something that could give you your big break, Kat. And I happen to know a girl who knows a girl whose father is a very famous artist in the wizarding community that is opening a new art gallery in Paris for artists to get discovered in. So if you want an in, I could give her a call," Greg said. He knew the sentence was convoluted, but hopefully it encouraged her to keep going.

Kat wouldn't have hanged her opinion even if he had said it. She really looked up to Greg, as he had been the first person she'd ever met when she'd first come to Beauxbaton's. He had been the first person who'd been nice to her, too, but that fact she'd been able to get over as she'd age and matured, becoming more approachable. Of course, she'd had Jonas.

It was hard to say she wasn't still sad about the breakup, because she was. But Greg visiting made her feel a lot better, and quelled her irrational fears. She hoped this visit would lead to Jonas coming around, though she didn't expect it this soon.

"I don't regret being with Jonas, either," Kat replied softly. "It's just... it's over, you know? I know we'll never be together again." She thought she was a failure at least in that department. "But you'e right. I guess I'm not a failure at everything. Just relationships."

"I know I shouldn't stop doing art- but he was the last picture I had drawn. Finished, at least." Tears welled in her eyes. "I-I just couldn't do it, you know? And I would never use these feelings just for my own gain. I don't want to turn it into anything. Not really. I keep feeling so guilty because I know Jonas is trying to send me money. I haven't used any of that, either. I can't do that." She nodded at the suggestion, but only because she didn't expect anything to come of it.

Greg smiled. "I know," he replied. "And because you've failed one relationship, you think you're a failure at all relationships? Tell me: did you fail the first time you ever picked up a magic wand and tried to do magic? Was your first stitch the nicest thing you'd ever seen? What about your first drawing? Was that perfect? Relationships are like anything else. They take practice. All you can do is try again. Someone out there is going to love you more than Jonas did, I promise."

"Why shouldn't you use your feelings for your artwork? That's just good artblock prevention skills. If your art is constantly evolving with your feelings, you will almost never get bored and nearly every feeling you have will be expressed," Greg said.

He frowned at her refusing Jonas' money. He knew she would. "I have to go, but I'll make that phone call," he said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out a slightly wrinkled piece of paper and handing it to her. "Happy birthday and Christmas from all the years I missed. I'll visit you again soon," he promised.

He turned to leave. He felt... actually a bit better about the whole situation.

This didn't seem to make Kat feel better, but worse. He was saying she'd failed this relationship. She dismissed that thought as soon as it came, though, because she knew Greg wasn't saying she was a failure. He'd been trying to convince her of her worth this entire time."Yeah, I did fail a lot..." she replied softly, though she attempted a smile and managed well-enough. "But I know what you're saying. I did get better along the way," she wanted to cry out of regret and loss. This whole situation was just awful. She felt her stomach churn again. Was that all this was? Just a bad sketch, something to be forgotten? "But relationships a-are different. There's a lot of feelings involved and there's not an easy fix. But I-I understand. Things aren't always the best. I'll try my best to remember that."

"I don't want anyone but Jonas. I loved him and when we were together I realized how long I'd actually had feelings for him. Finding someone else just isn't in the cards for me. I can just be the best person I can for him, no matter if I'm just a friend."

"I'm not going use them, Greg. That's just- it's not right," she argued. " To me, anyway. When Jonas isn't doing well I would be being selfish. I'm not using this for my own gain. I barely even want to draw again, anyway. Besides, all my art supplies were trashed. I don't want to make something that makes me remember this forever."

She took it, and wanted to immediately give it back. It was so much money! 500,00! Her eyes widened and she shook her head. "I-I can't..." but he was gone. Or going to the door, anyway.

She burst forward. She knew he wouldn't let her return the money, and she was thankful for it. She didn't like taking his money, but Greg wasn't doing it because he thought he had to. He was doing it because he was kind. She hugged him from behind, wishing he would stay

"Thank you..." she said softly. She released him, and placed the check with Jonas' unused ones. She knew she would spiral back to where she had been once he left, but for now she was happy.